Learning to Teach

As some of you know, Bella's Beauty was born here on June 1, 2010. As the first horse ever to be born to Shenango Way Farm, she has become somewhat special to us and I have looked forward for years to the day I could ride her and watch my students ride her and become an active member of the herd. Finally that dream is coming true.

This is only the second horse I've had the privilege of "breaking". (In laymans terms, bringing a young or untrained horse to the place where it will accept and saddle and rider.) The first was Kauayo's Way or "Ky". Over the period of a year, with the help of several brave students we experimented, finding some things that worked and somethings that didn't.

One of our first "successful" rides :)

 We all suffered some bumps and bruises, and I hit the ground wrong side up more than once, but through trial and error, Ky taught me a few things about starting a horse. The above photo with Melinda was taken in Feb. 2011. It didn't take long for Ky to become a favorite! Below is Ky and Kaylee at English Schooling Camp, Aug. 2011.

This time around, I decided I would take it slow, divide everything into tiny steps, and proceed only when Beauty was ready. It has been 4 months now, and Beauty has accepted longeing at the walk, trot and canter, saddling, a rider on her back, a bit in her mouth, commands from the legs and commands from the reins, and is now trotting on the longe line with a rider. The most satisfying accomplishment is when she accepted my weight without a sidestep and I was able to walk around on her for a few minutes. (She is still very small, and my concern from the beginning has been that she wouldn't get big enough for me to ride and train her myself.)

Beauty's very first rider. Go Gracie!

So slow seems the way to go. Break down everything you need to teach your horse into small steps, then break each step into 2! So far, we have never pushed Beauty to the point of getting upset, afraid, or frustrated. That way, as the teaching process goes along, she becomes more teachable. The steps are getting bigger, and lessons are getting longer. We are pushing 30 minute sessions now, where we started with 10-15 minutes. 

My first ride on Beauty :)

She takes everything in stride and accepts every new obstacle with calm assurance, as long as we never overface her. It seems that this is the way to grow a horse that is brave, never doubts you and will do what ever you ask without question. From the very first moment you meet, never give them a reason to not to trust you! For me, this has meant learning patience. I want to rush through three or four steps at a time when things are going well, overwhelming and frustrating my horse in the process. 

Yesterday was Beauty's first lesson off the longe line, and she proved herself responsive and willling. 

Since Beauty arrived on the farm, the bridle hook beneath her name has been empty, aside from the occasional extra piece of tack and her hoof pick. Today it holds her very own bridle, making all preparation, practice and diligence it has required to bring her this far worth it!